


When the Caged Bird Sings

by Chaosmoon75 (Chaosmoon)



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gen, Slow Burn, Tenth Walker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25435777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaosmoon/pseuds/Chaosmoon75
Summary: When captivity and experimentation are all you've ever known, can you learn to be human again? That is the question that is thrust upon one strange woman as the chance for freedom presents itself. Now, will her new companions learn to accept and help her, or are they all doomed to fall into darkness? That answer will be found as they make their way toward Mordor and the battle that awaits them there.
Relationships: Legolas Greenleaf/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24





	1. The Caged Bird

**Author's Note:**

> I know, there are several questions, right? Like, why a new story, and why a 10th walker? I am aware that this has been done over and again, but I still couldn't resist trying my hand at it. This one has been flitting around in my head for months now, and I got tired of it distracting me lol. So, I have decided to get it out. Like my other stuff, I will update when I can. Also, keep in mind that I have a personal project that is taking up a lot of my time. All that said, I hope you enjoy!

_**Chapter 1 – The Caged Bird** _

The darkness was suddenly rent by the sound of klaxons going off in the distance and flashing alarm lights. There was also the nearer sound of door alarms and panicked voices over the intercom. A girl that looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen was woken by the commotion. It took her next to no time to shake the sleep off and jump up in reaction to the disturbance.

She rushed to the door, fully expecting it to be locked, but hoped otherwise. Even so, it was a shock when it eased open with a touch. For a brief moment, the girl thought about staying where she was. It had not taken her long to understand the rushed orders she could hear overhead. The facility where she was housed was under attack, and several of her counterparts were listed as having escaped their rooms.

That, in and of itself, was enough to pique her curiosity. They were far enough underground that they should have been undetectable. Or at least that was what she had always been told. Unless it was their enemy. If the Phasewalkers had finally managed to find them, then it would be the end of everything.

That was the thought that pushed her out of the door. She hadn't considered escape in more years than she wanted to mention, but this opportunity would not come again. If the scientists and their soldiers prevailed, then they would find a way to ensure security would become impenetrable. If they failed, the Phasewalkers would kill anyone that could prove to be a problem. Since she was the facility's prime subject, she had no doubts that she would be on that list. With that thought in mind, she slipped out the door and kept to the wall.

The only lighting available were the red emergency lights and the strobing alarms. It created an eerie effect in the hall, but it also gave her a better chance to see anyone else before they could see her. There was the possibility that one of the other escaped experiments could be in the area as well, and some would try to kill her just because they could. Still, the odds were in her favor.

It was not long until she heard the sound of gunfire. She immediately froze to listen and see if it got closer. After a few moments, she was relieved to hear it getting further away. She slipped around another corner and stopped still at the sight of a body in the middle of the hall.

She took a moment to see if the man was breathing, but when she verified that he was most likely a casualty, she crept closer. She leaned down and found a recognizable uniform. It was one of the hired soldiers the facility kept to corral those like herself. He had been shot in the neck. She ignored the blood as she rolled him over to see if he carried anything salvageable. Her current state of dress would need to be changed if she was to stand any chance of surviving.

Unfortunately, the man was more than twice her size. She was able to take the bulletproof vest and the belt that carried his extra ammo, but none of the clothes were usable. Even the vest did not fit right, but it was better than only having the thin gown she had been wearing.

Once she donned the vest and threw the belt over her shoulder, she grabbed the gun and checked to see what the load was. She wasn't surprised to find the clip empty. It took her a few seconds to switch the old one for a full one. Once she felt a little better prepared, she started running forward on silent feet. The fact that she left a trail of bloody footprints behind her never crossed her mind.

Despite the many years she had lived in the facility, she still had no idea where she was or where she should be going. Not that she wouldn't have if she had ever been given the opportunity. Most of the time, they kept her and the others sedated if they had to travel outside the core parts of the facility. At least until they reached their destination. It helped to keep scientist and supervisor casualties down. Not only were some of the experiments unstable, but many of the others felt as she did. If she had ever seen an opportunity to kill her captors and get away, she would have. Since that was the case, she had hardly ever seen the majority of the hallways. It was either her room, the training rooms, the labs, or outside if a threat was detected.

She cursed that fact more than once, but more so when she rounded another turn and almost ran into a group of soldiers. Luckily for her, the reflexes she had been given more than made up for the slip. She was turned and racing down the other side of the new hall before they even had time to face her.

She was nearly to another turn when she heard them shout. Instead of stopping and complying, or even facing them, she continued on. She knew it was a gamble, but she had come too far. A second later, she heard several shots ring out. She was thrown forward slightly when more than one of the bullets hit her in the back. Thankfully, the vest took most of the brunt. Instead of a hole in her chest, she felt them slam into her. The impact nearly knocked her from her feet, but again, her gait was quickly righted. She was around the bend before another volley could be sent out.

She had quit trying to rely on stealth. She needed to find a way out, and she was out of time. What she ran into next had her stopped in her tracks. There was a sliding glass door in front of her, and behind it was the source of the facility's power. It looked like a tiny sun, and she knew the comparison wasn't far off. The compact reaction core was the closest thing to the stellar object, as could have been made by man.

She eyed the walls for a moment as part of her brain was evaluating how far away the footsteps were. She grimaced when she realized it wasn't far. She was cornered. She gripped the gun tighter as her brain worked frantically to figure out a way to make it past the current predicament. She knew she could survive a few gunshots, as long as they weren't to critical locations. However, with the size of the group that was headed her way, she doubted even she could survive for long. No matter what the scientists had done to her, she couldn't heal from a shot to the head.

With that thought in mind, a crazy idea entered her mind. The core was surrounded by a unique material. It looked like glass, but she knew it was much more durable. It had to be in ordered to contain the radiation and pressure from the continually fluctuating ball of energy. Still, it wasn't a material that was foreign to her. She had been faced with it many times, as they had gotten the chemical compound and design specs for it from the Phasewalkers. It was something that she knew how to get around since she had been forced to do so more than once.

She knew that bypassing the wall would be a death sentence. Still, as she listened to the rushing boots getting closer, she realized this might be the last choice she would ever be able to make for herself. To either wait and be taken back or phase through the wall and die on her own terms. It didn't take her long to decide.

She took one last look down the hall, just in time to see the soldiers round the bend. She ignored it as they called out, and instead closed her eyes and focused on that part of her mind that allowed her to face the enemy on equal footing. When she opened them again, they were nearly solid black, and the world around her was slightly out of focus. She turned from the approaching soldiers and walked through the wall.

Instantly, all noise except the rushing sound of the core was blocked out. She didn't even have time to set her foot down before the gravity of the core pulled her in. Instead of trying to fight a futile battle, she closed her eyes and let go of her focus. At least she would die by her own terms, even if she had never been able to live by them. That was the last thought that entered her brain as she was swallowed by the tiny sun.

* * *

Strider had warned them the location was dangerous. He had told them to be wary. Still, that didn't stop them from enjoying his stories to keep the darkness and fear at bay. They had all hoped to find some sign of Gandolf, but that was not to be. Or at least not clearly enough that they could come to some solid conclusion. Instead, they huddled closer to the fire to wait for dawn.

When Strider finished his current tale, all the hobbits were quite taken with the seeming transformation in the rugged ranger. It was odd to behold the light in his eyes as he spoke and left them wondering about the man. Still, they needed rest, as they had much farther to go before they arrived at their destination. Merry stretched before he stood and looked up. "Look, the moon is rising, it must be getting late."

The others looked up as well as both Sam and Merry stepped away. Strider seemed to be focused on the moon, or perhaps the top of the hill. The others weren't sure if they could see anything for him to be focused on or not.

It was a moment later that both Sam and Merry came running back. Sam's voice held no little amount of fear. "I was overcome by a feeling of dread. No amount of money would entice me to leave this dell."

Frodo and Pippin were on their feet by then. The former gave his friend a worried look. "Did you see anything?"

Sam shook his head, but it was Merry that responded. "I did. Or at least I think I did, I can't be sure."

Strider gestured for them all to get closer to the fire. "Keep close to the fire with your faces outward. Get some of the longer sticks ready at hand."

Each of the hobbits scrambled to do as they had been told. They all stood there in silence until Frodo felt he was going to burst with the need to break it. As soon as he shifted, Strider whispered to him harshly. "Hush!"

At the same moment, Pippin pointed to the lip of the dell. "What's that?" Before anything else could be said, two things happened at once. First, a bright light flashed overhead. It caused most of them to cover their eyes with winces since they had become accustomed to the dark. However, it also enabled Strider to see the dell clearly. There were five black-cloaked figures headed toward them—three near the bottom of the valley, and the other two on the lip.

By that time, the hobbits had noticed the figures as well, and both Merry and Pippin could hardly stand. Sam had stepped closer to Frodo. His master seemed to be struggling with some mental strain, but he could tell no way to help him. It came as a shock when Frodo disappeared, and it caused him to cry out.

Strider had not been idle. He was worried about what the light had been but was more concerned about the approaching figures. He grabbed two sticks and lit them as a means to drive the wraiths away.

* * *

On the other side of the dell, as yet unseen by any of the others, a female figure seemed to have dropped from a short distance above. She hit the ground with a grunt but rolled and was quickly on her feet. She looked around with confusion, as she was not where she expected she should be,

Her eyes covered the terrain in practiced motions until they landed on several shadowy figures. Her eyes widened before they narrowed. Directly after her observance, she also saw a man facing them with torches and what appeared to be several children. It did not take long for her instincts to kick in. Despite what she felt about her previous captors, she refused to let other humans get caught up in the war.

She sprinted across the small valley, heedless of the damage the rocks were doing to her bare feet. As soon as she was within range of the first figure, her eyes turned black, and she kicked out to try and disarm the male as he raised a sword. She wondered briefly why it was a sword and not a rifle, but the thought was fleeting. That was a question she could worry about later.

The man turned to her as the blade flew away. She could tell he had been shocked by her intervention, but no more so than she was at the sight of his face. He looked more skeleton than flesh. None of her previous encounters with Phasewalkers had been so chilling. No matter their ability to phase through dimensions, they were still flesh and blood in the end. This thing was debatable.

Still, she could not give up. She rolled past him and grabbed the blade he had dropped before she spun to block an attack from another one. She used her foot to kick him back before she continued on. They didn't seem to be focused on her, which was a plus, but that also meant whatever they were focused on was in trouble.

Her attention was snagged when she heard a young man cry out with strange words. She turned to see a boy that seemed to be phased. Despite his stature, the blade she held began to come down on him. At least until she noticed his terrified expression before he started to throw himself at the feet of one of the others.

A spike of adrenaline coursed through her as she raced to intercept the shadow from landing the blow on the smaller one. She was able to knock him aside, but not before the blade meant for the phased boy slammed into her back. The vest she still had on took the brunt of the blow, but it managed to pierce her skin.

She ignored the pain and rolled with the young boy before she stood over him to face the strange Phasewalkers. She wasn't given a chance to do more before the human man came out of the shadows bearing two torches. She almost scoffed at him, until the thing in front of her screeched and backed away. She didn't hesitate to take advantage of the nearest one's distraction and stabbed out with the borrowed blade.

Her hit landed, and she expected him to phase away. However, the only reaction was another screech as the thing made an impossible leap back. She thought she heard several hissing voices, but no words could be understood. At least she was relieved to see all five of the figures fading away. She knew they could just phase back, but for the moment, she had other things to worry about.

She had barely seen the last one fade before she felt a sword against her neck. She ignored any possibility of injury and rolled forward. She then spun into a crouch as she faced the human that was now pointing his blade at her. His voice was harsh when he spoke, but at least she understood him.

"Who are you, boy? Why have you set upon us?"

Her eyes flitted between his and his sword. She wanted to be prepared for any action. She wasn't shocked at his mistrust. She was a stranger, and they had just been attacked. Her face was expressionless when she answered. "It matters not who I am. I only stopped to take care of the Phasewalkers. I will leave you in peace." She still had no idea how she had ended up wherever she was, but she did know that she was away from the facility. For the moment, that was enough. She could figure out the rest as she went.

There were several gasps at the sound of her voice, and she thought she heard one of the children whisper about her being a girl. She ignored it as she finally stood. The wound in her back was starting to burn with an icy fire, but she ignored it as well as she turned to leave like she said she would. She heard the man rush her as he called out for her to stop. She sidestepped the attack and turned a frown his way.

She could detain him, but she didn't want to leave the children defenseless. Before she could reprimand him, she grimaced as the wound on her back gave a sickening thud. It was only as the icy feeling started to spread that she began to worry about poison. She still tried to step back, but her knees gave out. She landed with a grunt. The man came to stand in front of her with a glare to match her own.

It looked as though he were debating whether he should dispatch her. The thought did not settle well, as she realized she might not be able to stop him if he tried. Her limbs were not responding to her call. Before any decision could be made, one of the children raced forward. She was surprised to see it was the boy she had saved, though he was no longer out of phase with the world. She briefly wondered if he were like her, but the thought was disjointed.

She barely heard him speak to the older male as she fell over. "Wait, Strider. She took the blade meant for me. I don't think she means us harm." Those words were the last she heard as icy darkness rose up to claim her.


	2. Injury

_**Chapter 2** _

Strider's frown grew as he looked down at the strange girl that had just fallen at his feet. Her presence did nothing but rattle him, though he did not show it. Instead, he knelt to check on her. Before he could do more than grab her shoulder, Frodo was at his side again. He looked over at the worried hobbit with a grim look. "Do not worry that I will do her harm. I did not miss that she helped you, though you must remember that does not make her an ally."

Frodo wrung his hands at Strider's words but gave him a nod anyway. Strider then tried to see if he could find the wound. The strange vest she wore was not able to be cut through, so he ended up motioning for one of the others to help. Pippin came forward with some trepidation that changed to blushing as the ranger pulled the thing over her head while Pippin held her upright.

Even Strider blushed lightly at the sight of the thin, short gown that she had on underneath the bulky vest. There was little to it, and he had to wonder if she had somehow wandered out in her sleep. It was definitely easier to tell that she was female now, though an odd one to be sure.

Her hair was shorn close to her scalp, and what little there was almost seemed silver under the moonlight. She was tall for a woman, but not quite as tall as he. Also, she appeared to be fit, with muscle tone not often seen in females. It wasn't shocking considering how she had fought against the ringwraiths. Not that any of that mattered. For the moment, his only concern was to see to her injury before they moved on. It was the least he could do after she had taken it to save Frodo. Even if he was likely to tie her up once he was sure she would live.

When he turned her over, he was shocked to find very little blood. He grimaced as he realized he was going to have to cut open her gown to assess the damage. He quickly widened the slit before he called out for Sam to bring some water. It was only a moment later that the small cut was revealed.

Strider's brow furrowed further at the sight of the wound. As little blood as there had been, it was still more than the size of the injury would account for. That was only part of his concern. The edges of the cut were already turning a pale white. When he tentatively touched the perimeter, he pulled his fingers back with a hiss. Her skin was freezing.

His suspicions had proven to be correct. This injury was far more deadly than a simple stab wound. The blade had been one borne by a servant of Mordor. That alone was bad enough, but he doubted that was all or she would not have collapsed over something so small.

Strider was now faced with a decision. To treat this wound, he would need to find a certain herb that grew in the surrounding lands. It would not be nearby, nor would it be easy to find. Still, he had no doubt that he could find it in a matter of hours. However, if he left to do so, it would leave the stranger alone with his charges. That was a risk he was unwilling to take. And yet, he could not send any of the others either.

Finally, he motioned to Sam, who was closest to the packs. "There should be a canister in the smallest pocket. Bring it, and a length of rope."

Sam was wide-eyed as he complied. None of the hobbits seemed quite sure what to think. They had barely had time to begin to trust the ranger, and now they had another stranger in their midst. Sam frowned as he handed everything over. He knew the woman had helped his master, but that didn't make him trust her any more than Strider seemed to.

Once he had the items in hand, Strider used the salve in the canister to cover the wound. He then awkwardly tried to figure out how to bandage it. With the location near her left shoulder blade, it wasn't as though he could disrobe her to wrap it properly. In the end, he managed to wrap the strip of cloth around the outside of her gown to at least cover the spot. He then tied her hands together and laid her near the fire.

The knew the salve would not help the nature of the wound, but it should be enough to keep out infection. That would have to be good enough until they could leave. He would look for the athelas while they traveled the next day. He was not pleased to think of bringing the girl along with them, but he could not bring himself to leave her to die.

* * *

It was less than an hour later that the girl groaned and tried to sit up. The hobbits had already fallen into a fitful sleep, but Strider immediately had his hand on the hilt of his sword as he watched her. She seemed to ignore the bindings on her hands while she looked around. He noted her eyes did not seem to miss anything. They were wary when they landed on him.

She didn't speak right away. Instead, she lifted her tied hands and felt the strip of cloth bound around her chest. She then flexed her shoulders and grimaced. Once she was done with her self assessment, she looked over to Strider once more. "I give thanks for the treatment, though I will ask that you release me. I mean you no harm." She paused and looked around once again. "Where am I?"

Strider also took his time to respond. Her question was not as unexpected as it should have been. He had taken the last hour to try and figure out all he could about the woman. The moon was bright enough that he had been able to find her tracks, but they ended before the exit of the valley. That made him remember the light that had flashed right before the attack. It did not take much for him to conclude that she had something to do with the burst that had nearly blinded them all.

He had seen too many things through the years to dismiss the possibility of the Valar taking a hand in events. Still, that did not mean he could accept the presentation of a miracle so readily. Though he doubted this woman's appearance at that moment was a coincidence. The whole line of thought had him on edge. It further proved that he could not leave her behind, even if he hadn't felt obligated to help with her wound.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally answered. "This is the side of what was once known as Amon Sûl, now more commonly known as Weathertop. It is in the central part of Eriador."

By that time, she had shifted so that she was kneeling. It almost looked like she was getting ready to stand, though he could see she was still wobbly. If she was bothered by her circumstances, he could not hear it in her voice. Though her expression did openly show confusion. "I have never heard of those locations. I had been led to believe that over the years that I had traveled to most known parts of the world."

Her implication was not lost on Strider, though he refused to let his discomfort show. Instead, he kept his voice even when he answered the unspoken part of her statement. "Perhaps you were given false information. I have traveled over much of Eriador and other regions beyond. Yet this region is known to most. The world is far larger than a farmer's garden."

His meaning was not lost on the girl. She tilted her head slightly as she examined him more thoroughly then she had previously. It was then that she noted the leather armbands and other leather armor pieces. He also had a sword and one visible dagger. His cloak was worn and dirty but functional. In all, he had the look of someone far removed from the machinery she had come to know. She looked around and saw the young boys were dressed similarly.

It was possible that she had been transported to a place so far removed from society that this was the norm, but given how it happened, she came to the conclusion it was more likely that somehow, she had been sent through a wormhole. History, particularly the history of war, was one of the few subjects she had been allowed to read without censure. Even so, none of the places the man named were familiar.

Still, in the end, it didn't matter. She once again held up her hands as she spoke. "It matters not where I may be. I have escaped my captors, and that is enough. If you would unbind me, I would be on my way."

Strider's gaze was sharp. "Captors?"

The girl shook her head. "It is nothing that concerns you." She then tried to stand, but before she could make it to her feet, she wobbled and fell over once again. Strider caught her before she could hit the ground, only to see that she was covered in a cold sweat and passed out once again. She was trembling from what had to be chills.

He made an aggravated noise and laid her down once again. He wondered at the fact that she had been able to hide her discomfort so thoroughly that he did not notice until she fell. The encounter left him with even more questions than answers, especially when she mentioned being a prisoner. Who had held her, and more importantly, how had she gotten away. Especially with the way he presumed she must have arrived. The mystery surrounding the girl was growing by the minute, and now was a terrible time to encounter anything mysterious.

* * *

Through the rest of the night, Strider kept a vigil over his four charges and the new addition. No matter his distrust of the woman, he still felt disturbed at her continued chills. It was difficult to watch, knowing that there was something he could do to ease the symptoms, at least, yet he dared not leave them unguarded. She woke several times, but never to the point of lucidity. After a couple of hours, he took off his cloak and placed it over her as well. Even if he knew her shivers had nothing to do with the chill in the night air.

The sun had not yet risen over the hills, and the dell was still grey with early dawn when he roused the hobbits. None of them looked happy to see that the stranger was still unconscious. Frodo, in particular, was nearly beside himself with worry. Strider tried to reassure him that there was something that could help. They only needed to find it on the way.

The morning meal was a rushed affair, as none of them wanted to stay longer than they had to. It was bad enough that they had stayed the night after having been attacked once. They were only glad for whatever force that had kept the shadows from returning.

As they were gathering up their things, Frodo had gone to the place where he had nearly fallen. He was shocked to see a black cloak. He toed it to the side out of curiosity, but when he did, a dagger was uncovered. He stooped to pick it up, but almost dropped it again when he saw the blade was black as pitch. He jumped when he heard Strider's voice over his shoulder.

"What have you there?"

Frodo gladly handed it over. "This was where I was attacked last night. That is likely the blade that the woman was stabbed with."

Strider frowned at the Morgûl-knife as he brought it up to inspect it in the early morning sunshine. He barely had time to notice the tip was broken before the hobbits all gasped as the blade seemed to melt into shadows almost as soon as the light hit it. Strider's frown grew. He then sat and put the empty hilt on his knee while he chanted words in a language the others didn't recognize. After a few moments, he stood again and wrapped the hilt in cloth before he put it away with the rest of their things.

His voice was hard when he spoke. "This is dire news, indeed. I fear the wound this girl suffered may be beyond my ability to heal. Though I do know of something that may help until we can get to Rivendell."

None of the others were heartened by his words, but he did not give them time to voice their worries. Instead, he bade them clear Bill the pony of most of his burdens. Sam was reluctant to carry an extra portion of their supplies, just so the strange girl could ride, but relented when Frodo offered to take even more than his share to make up for it. His master seemed determined to pay the girl back for saving his life.

Strider ended up having to tie the girl to the saddle. He only hoped it would work well enough for the time being. If the athelas did not bring her round, he was unsure how they would proceed.

* * *

They had managed to make their way down and in a southerly direction. Strider hoped to cross the Road and enter the woods nearby. It was slow going with their extra burdens, but their heavy loads were nearly forgotten when they finally scurried across. The hobbits nearly froze when they heard a shrill cry, followed swiftly by another. Despite their fear, or maybe because of it, Strider was able to get them moving quickly. It was not long until they were able to take shelter under the boughs.

It was a few hours later that Strider stopped them and pointed to a plant that looked like a weed. "There, that is what we need."

Sam eyed the unknown plant with a bit of distrust, but his eyes widened when Strider returned with some of the leaves and crushed one so they could smell. "Against her wound, this may have little effect. Even less so since I cannot boil it first while we are traveling, but it is my hope that it may be able to reduce her chills at least. I am afraid the power of Mordor is trying to take hold. No matter who she is, I cannot stand idly by and let it happen."

Frodo gave him a resolute nod. "I should think not." He then put his pack down. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Strider gave the determined hobbit a wry smile and shook his head. "Not right now. Let me tend to this quickly, so we may be on our way."

After that, the ranger untied the woman and gently lowered her. He once again asked for assistance to hold her up while he checked the wound. Frodo readily volunteered. It took no time at all for Strider to have the wound uncovered, but what he saw had him frozen. His words were barely more than a whisper. "Impossible."

Frodo didn't let go of the woman, but his voice was full of concern as he tried to look over her shoulder to see what the problem was. "What is it? Has it become infected after all?"

Strider was able to shake off his stupor at the question. "No. The wound has nearly healed, though that is not a good thing." Merry and Pippin both tried to gather round at his words to see that; indeed, there was nothing left but an opening less than a half-inch long and not an eighth of that wide. Though, there was a thin pink line that extended nearly two inches from either end.

The two of them started whispering with each other. They had never seen anyone heal so fast. To be honest, neither had Strider, and it was just one more thing about the woman that made him wary. Still, he had already committed to helping her. He called out to Sam first. "Sam, take a handful of the leaves from that plant and mash them as well as you can into a paste. Put it onto a small section of that bandage and make sure it does not get contaminated with anything else."

He then turned to Merry and Pippin. "You two, bring me another cloth from my pack." They both gave him curious looks as to why he would need it, but jumped to obey when he shot them a glare.

Once they were away, Strider lowered his voice and spoke to Frodo. "Though the wound may be healed, the taint of the Morgûl-blade is spreading. I'm afraid a piece of the blade may have lodged itself inside. I need you to hold her as still as you can while I cut it open again. That will be the only way for the athelas to work to draw out the poison."

Frodo swallowed hard. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold the woman still if she started to thrash around, though he knew he had to try. He gave Strider a resolute nod and held a little tighter. Strider then pulled out his dagger and placed it carefully along the wound. He did not want to hurt the girl more than was necessary.

Almost as soon as he put pressure on the blade, the girl stiffened. Frodo was shocked when her eyes flew open, but he managed to keep a hold on her. They were both shocked when she didn't do more than try to sit up. Though her words did not sit well with the ranger. "Please, not again. Have I not proven that I will not scream and cry? At least sedate me first."

Strider froze as he tried to process her words. He once again wondered who had held her. If her reaction was anything to go by, it was not anyone she should be sent back to. Still, he knew he had to finish, so he kept his voice even, and softened it as much as he was able. "I do not wish to harm you, but I must open this wound. You will die if I cannot apply the athelas."

The only indication that she was troubled was a slight hitch in her voice. "Then let me die. Please. Have I not done enough? The others are all gone. Why should I remain?"

The rest of the group had missed her first words, but they all heard her plea. Each of them were giving her horrified looks—all but Strider. His gaze had turned hard. His disgust at the thought of what this girl must have gone through was broken when Frodo whispered. "Mr. Strider, I don't think she sees us. I'm not sure who she's talking to, but I don't believe it's you."

The ranger let out a long breath to keep his voice even as he responded. "I know."

He then took another before he quickly finished the cut. He grabbed the cloth Merry and Pippin had retrieved to keep her blood from getting everywhere. He was shocked by how fast the blood flow was stemmed, but thankful, as it made things easier. Once it was cleaned, he motioned for the bandage Sam had prepared.

It was far less awkward this time as he wrapped the bandage around her. By that time, she had already slumped against Frodo once more. Strider was conflicted as he put her back on the pony and tied her once more. He had too many questions and not enough answers, which made him even more on edge than before. Still, he knew he would need to have patience.

His voice finally showed a bit of his weariness when he motioned them all to follow once more. "That is the most I can do for now. Let us hope it is enough to stave off the darkness until we can reach our destination."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sure you all have as many questions as Strider, but rest assured, we will be getting a few answers soon. Not that they probably won't make more questions, but I guess that's how it goes 😁 Anyway, I hope you are enjoying this so far. Thanks for reading!


	3. Introductions

_**Chapter 3** _

Given how quickly the girl's wound had healed, Strider was not shocked when she stirred and tried to sit up several hours later. It was nearly dusk by then, but the dying light did not seem to affect her as she looked around. When her eyes found the ranger, they narrowed. A slight furrow between her brow was the only indication that she was upset. "Have I not asked to be freed before? I understand that I am a stranger, but I will give my word that I will not interfere with whatever you are doing."

The hobbits had all stopped and were giving her looks that ranged from shocked to suspicious. She ignored them as she watched the tall man make his way back to where she was tied to a horse. Instead of answering her, he reached out to the rope that held her to the saddle. He didn't undo it right away. Instead, he searched her face to see if he could read anything in her expression.

After a moment, he spoke quietly. "I bound you to the saddle so you would not fall. You have been given a wound that could have killed you. Tell me, how do you feel?"

Her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn't hesitate to answer. "Well enough to be on my way."

Strider had to swallow a sigh. This strange woman had taken up more room in his thoughts than was safe while they were traveling. Still, during that time, he had come to the conclusion that her previous insistence to be set free could have well stemmed from her prior incarceration. If her words, while she had been delusional, were any indication, he did not blame her for not wanting to remain in a situation she perceived as captivity.

He shook his head before he answered. "I will untie you and allow you to walk if you feel you can, but I must insist that you come with us. The wound you received is no simple matter. You still have darkness running through your veins. I could only treat your symptoms, not the cause. If you do not see a healer soon, it could prove fatal. As it is, we are on our way to one of the best healers in Arda."

The girl seemed to mull his words over for a moment. She shook her head and almost looked like she was going to decline, but her eyes widened, and a grimace flashed across her face. This time, Strider was looking for the signs, despite her refusal to show her pain. When he noted the sheen of sweat on her brow, he lowered his voice and spoke again. "I give you my word that I will not restrain you again unless you give me cause to. If your word is true, then you can walk beside us until we get to Rivendell."

She still did not look convinced, but there was only a moment's hesitation before she nodded. "I thank you for the assistance." He knew it was likely that she agreed because the wound was still giving her issues, but he was heartened to see the athelas had helped enough for her to be conscious and lucid.

Strider was not entirely convinced that loosening her was a good idea, but so far, the girl had made no moves to try and free herself. Instead, her efforts had gone to convincing him to let her go. Added to that was the fact that she had aided them, and he could not justify continuing to keep her bound. Though it did add one more worry to his list.

Once she was free, she ignored his outstretched hand and jumped down. He had noted her bare feet, but there was little he had available to help with that. Somehow, he was not shocked by the fact that it did not seem to bother her. He made a note that when they stopped for the night, he would see what could be done to alleviate that issue, at least. It would do her no good to get sick on top of the wound.

With that thought in mind, he removed his cloak and gave it to her. She eyed the thing for a moment before she wrapped it around her shoulders and gave him a grateful nod. His voice was low when he started walking once again. "We do not carry much, but we can see if there is anything more suitable for you once we stop."

He then motioned for her to walk by his side. "Stay where I can see you." By that point, the girl had lost all expression, though she did not argue. Instead, she made her way to the front with Strider, and calmly walked next to him as they continued.

There was no clear path for them to take, but Strider knew the direction they needed to keep to, so they picked their way through the underbrush. He had hoped the silence would have lasted longer since night was swiftly coming, but it did not shock him when three of the four hobbits crowded in after less than half an hour. Sam was the only one to not try to get close to their new addition.

Strider had to hold back a smile at the erstwhile gardener's frown. The ranger could not fault him for thinking about his master's safety. Despite their need for stealth, he did not reprimand Frodo when he finally spoke up. At least he had sense enough to keep to whispers.

"Miss, I wanted to thank you for saving my life last night. If it were not for you, I would likely be the one fighting off the poison of the Morgûl-blade. I doubt I would be in as good a shape had that been the case."

She glanced down at him for a moment before she shook her head. "There is no need for your thanks. I have fought Phasewalkers for most of my life. I could not walk away when I saw them attack you."

That had Strider giving her a hard look. When or where would she have fought the wraiths before? And that name for them was odd, though she had used it last night as well. He did not get to ask, as Frodo did so for him. "Do you mean the ringwraiths? Is that another name for them?"

Strider did not miss her frown before she answered. "Perhaps. They are the ones that were out of phase with the world, correct? Like you were?"

Frodo's hand instinctively went to cover his breast pocket as he stumbled over his words. "I- well, you see-" He then cut off and stared up at her with wide eyes. "Wait, does that mean you were able to see me?"

"Of course."

That answer was enough to rattle them all. Tom Bombadil had been the only one to see through the ring's magic before. Even so, Strider quickly spoke before the conversation could continue. "Enough about that. To speak more of the darkness will invite its eyes to turn our way. We cannot afford any chance that we would be cut off from Rivendell."

Frodo looked abashed at the reprimand, but the woman only gave him a curious look. "That sounds like superstition. Is it a common belief here?"

Strider frowned as he looked forward once again. "Tis no superstition. The enemy's eyes and ears could be anywhere. We should err on the side of caution and leave all talk of such things until we are in a safer location." The girl did not look convinced, but she held her tongue nonetheless.

Frodo had fallen back to walk with Sam after that, but the silence was not kept for long. Strider nearly sighed in frustration when Merry took the empty spot and looked up at the woman. "Well now, despite the odd circumstances, we can't travel together without knowing each other's names. I'm Merry, and this ugly fellow here is Pippin. The distinguished gent you were just talking to is Frodo, and the other one is his gardener, Sam. The tall, frowny fellow over there is Strider."

Strider shot a glare over at Merry's raised voice before he whispered harshly. "That is enough. We should focus on silence."

Merry gave him a sour look as he kicked a nearby rock and crossed his arms with a huff. Despite the warning, his whisper could still be heard by them all. "I just thought it would be nice to introduce ourselves. We don't even know her name yet."

The girl looked down at him at the last part. Strider was just thankful she kept her voice low. "I do not have a name. At least not one I can remember. If you must call me something, you may call me Eleven. It is my designation."

That statement was enough to set off a whole new slew of questions. However, a glare from Strider had the hobbits swallowing them down for the time being. Not that he didn't have plenty of his own, but they would have to wait.

* * *

It was nearly two hours after full night started when Strider called a halt to their march. He knew they needed to keep moving, but the hobbits were flagging. He had also not missed the fact that the girl had stumbled more than once. Each time she did, a frown crossed her face as though she were angry with herself, but she did not complain. Still, they had barely stopped before the four hobbits threw themselves down, wrapped themselves in their cloaks, and let sleep take them. Odd indeed, since they didn't even ask for food.

Eleven had taken a bit more time. He noticed that she checked the surrounding area as if to look for dangers. However, he could tell that she was barely standing. When she sat down, he handed her a strip of dried meat. "You haven't eaten in a day. Take it while you can and rest. The road will not be easy." She didn't hesitate to take it with a whispered word of thanks. It was gone in a flash before she finally relented and settled into sleep as well.

Strider sat up once again as he watched over the small group. When nothing but the sound of night creatures and soft snores filled the air, he turned to the packs to see what could be retrieved to allow the girl to be better protected from the elements. Thankfully he had a spare cloak, though that was about as good as they could provide her. He did find an extra pair of woolen socks. It was a less than ideal solution, but since the hobbits had no shoes, to begin with, there was nothing to be done about it. Once he set those to the side, he leaned against a nearby tree and rested his eyes while his ears were tuned to the sounds of the night.

* * *

The moon had set, but dawn had not yet started when Strider's sat up. The rustle of movement and a soft sound from nearby had him looking to see what the issue was. He immediately saw the girl had curled in on herself. Even in her sleep, she was biting her lip to hold in whatever noise was trying to escape. He frowned as he noted that she had begun to shiver again. He had not wanted to start a fire, but if her symptoms continued, he would have to relent so they could boil the leaves and treat the wound again.

That thought had barely crossed his mind when she shot up with a strangled noise. Her eyes quickly scanned the area before they come back to him. It had not escaped his notice that she acted more like a seasoned warrior than a simple peasant girl that had gotten lost. Still, that was not the first thing he asked when she seemed to settle back down. "Are you well?"

She looked away from him as she answered. "Well enough. I apologize for the trouble."

He sat back and watched her for a moment as she drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them before she looked up at the fading stars through the canopy. They both sat in silence for several minutes. Finally, Strider broke it. "Can you tell me how you got here? I have already deduced it had something to do with that light. What was that? I have many more questions, as well. For example, why did your wound heal in less than two days?"

The girl did not jump at the sound of his voice, though her look was evaluating when she looked back. She barely hesitated before she answered. "I can try to explain, but given all I have observed since waking, I doubt you would believe me."

His eyes narrowed. "I will be the judge of that."

Her face lost all expression again as she answered. "I never said I wouldn't tell you."

Strider lifted one brow at her response but didn't speak as she had already continued. "I already told you that I was a captive. That had been the case for most of my life. That night, the facility came under attack. I did not see who, but I assume it was the Phasewalkers. I used the disarray to escape, or that was my plan. In the end, I was cornered. Instead of allowing them to take me, I chose to end my life on my own terms."

She paused when he made a noise at her calm confession. He had never seen anyone speak of their own death with such dispassion. She shook her head at his expression. "You must understand that they held me for more years then I could recount. I honestly don't know how long it had been, as they kept me isolated or sedated when I wasn't being used."

She then looked up and straight into his eyes. "They were trying to form me and the others into the perfect weapons. To fight the Phasewalkers where they could not. At that moment, I decided I would rather make the choice to die on my own terms instead of theirs."

Strider did not speak right away. He was still unsure what to think of this strange girl, but he was beginning to believe there was much more to her than met the eye. She did not speak as though she had been held for a mere two decades or less as her appearance initially led him to believe. That observance was stacked on top of the rest of the things he had seen already. Perhaps it would be a good thing to ensure that she was brought to Lord Elrond if only to ensure she didn't fall into other hands.

Finally, he spoke again in a soft voice. "That does not explain how you got from there to here. Plus, you keep calling them Phasewalkers. Where did you hear that term for them?"

The girl looked up once again as she answered just as softly. "My escape was through the facility's energy core. It was like a small sun that had been harnessed. All I can guess is that somehow when it sucked me in, instead of annihilating me, it created a wormhole, and I was sent elsewhere. This place is not where I am from, that much is sure."

Strider took in a sharp breath. A sun? Surely she must be mistaken. However, her body language had not changed. Either she was the best liar he had ever seen, or she believed she was telling the truth. It was at that point that he realized he may not get any satisfactory answers. Not out there. He would have to redouble their efforts to get to Rivendell quickly. The faster he could get Elrond, and hopefully, Gandalf involved, the better it would be.

Before he could say anything, she looked back down and continued. "As for the Phasewalkers, I believe they may be different than the things we fought the night before last."

Strider became curious despite himself. The fact that she had been able to fight them at all had been questionable since they were both part of the world and yet not. It was no exaggeration that no mortal weapon could wound them, yet he was sure she had somewhat. "Why do you believe so?"

She lowered her legs and crossed them before she looked down at her hands in her lap. "I have thought of the encounter much since then. At the time, I thought they might have been some new form of Phasewalker, but now I think they are more." She then looked up and caught his eye once more. "I have been modified to fight a race of people that are from a dimension separate from my own. They have the ability to modulate the phase of the molecules in their bodies and enter our dimension. In the beginning, many people died, because they were still slightly out of phase with the world. We could see them, and their weapons killed us, but we could not touch them. It wasn't until the scientists figured out how to allow those like me to modulate our own phase that we were able to fight on even terms."

"Those beings were out of phase with this world, so I jumped to the conclusion that they were the same, but after analyzing their actions and appearance, I can no longer believe that."

Strider sat back and gave her a hard look, though he didn't speak. Much of what she said did not make sense. It sounded like the darkest of magics, but she was no Uruk-hai, nor was she a necromancer. That did not eliminate the possibility that those who held her were not. It gave an even keener edge to the distrust of her presence. Still, he could definitely no longer let her go. There was too much at stake to allow the possibility that she would lead the enemy to them.

He realized he was going to have to walk a fine line. He had to keep her close and bring her to the Council. There, they could possibly retrieve the truth, and maybe more. He could not let her know what awaited her either, not if he was to get the hobbits there safely. For now, he would keep a ready blade and an eye on her at all times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope this answers a few questions, but I have a feeling it just created more 😁 Still, I hope you are all finding it interesting. The next couple of weeks are going to be trying. Anyway, thank you all for reading!


End file.
